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B. 1. BAUM AND 0. w. ODERMATT.

NESTED PAPER CUP SEPARATOR. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. I0, l9l9.

WITNESS fi INVENTORS.

n I flea 21x12 8am Z0 3 y :40: fiada gg- 0M1? raw A TTORNE YS Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN J'. BAUM AND CLARENCE W. ODERMATT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

NESTED-PAPER-CUP 'SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed March 10, 1919. Serial No. 281,806.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN J. BAUM and CLARENCE W. Onnnam'r'r, citizens of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of Cali fornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nested Paper Cup Separators, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the class of machines or apparatus used by candy manufacturers for separating the individual paper-crimp cases or bon-bon cups from the standard nested packages in which they are received.

Our present invention is directed to certain improvements in that machine or apparatus for which we obtained Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,271,834, dated July 9, 1918.

These improvements consist in means for initially directing and presenting the nested packages to the sphere of the air blast in such wise that the tendency to clog is prevented, resulting in increased capacity; and in adjusting these means especially in connection with the adjustment of the effective I length of the outlet passage, whereby different sizes of cups are provided for.

These improvements, together with their objects and effects, we shall hereinafter fully describe by reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation, broken, and partly in section of our machine.

7 Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The present machine, in common with the one previously patented by us as hereinbefore mentioned comprises the following parts, namely, a base plate 1, with legs 2 which carry the double-conical receptacle 3; the air inlet pipe 1 leading into the base of the receptacle, and fitted with a blower 5; the feed opening 7 and the hand-hold pipe section 10 fitted telescopically on a top collar 9 of the receptacle; the outlet pipe 13 slidably telescoped upon the section 10 and provided with the terminal discharge portion 14; and the thumb-nut means at 15 supported by the standard 16, for vertically adjusting the pipe 13 to vary the effective length of the outlet passage.

The general operation of the machine may be briefly restated as follows:The packages of nested cups supplied through the feed opening 7 drop down in the receptacle 3, wherein meeting the uprising air current, they are churned about therein and are gradually broken up into smaller and smaller divisions until fully separated, the individual cups Heat up with the current into the outlet pipe 13; and according to the force of the blast and the weight of the cups they pass out to their discharge. The variation of the effective length of the outlet passage by the adjustment of the pipe 13, provides for the floating of the cups to the right height according to the weight of the particular material of which the cups are made, and according to their size and consequent varying weight. It also provides by nice regulation for insuring that no associated cups pass out.

We have found in practice, that the nested packages falling to the contracted throat of the receptacle 3 and lying completely over the cross sectional area of the entering blast tend to choke, resulting in congestion, which in turn limits the rate of feed. To obviate this we now provide for positively leading and directing the packages into the direct sphere of the blast, from the outer circumference thereof and keeping the middle open for the unimpeded initial or direct effect of the blast, the packages thus severally and without interference from one another entering this middle portion and being blown upwardly within the descending annular column of packages for a short distance until they are relieved in the greater upper area of the receptacle wherein they are churned about as before.

This effect we produce by placing in the lower portion of the receptacle directly above and separated from the air inlet, an open ended tubular member 6, which leaves an annular feeding space 6 around it. It is best to make the air-inlet of substantially the same diameter as that of said tubular member so that the two are alined, and for this purpose we use an inlet nozzle 8.

In operation the packages descend through the surrounding space (i and as each gets under the tubular member and consequently lies in the direct sphere or column of the air blast it is blown up positively, through said tubular member, and emerging therefrom into the greater space above is churned about as described. Thus, there is no tendency to clog the throat of the receptacle, and this being true, the rate of feed and consequent capacity of the machine may be increased.

Now, although the tubular member may be supported in position in any suitable manner, we find that if we support it from the vertically adjustable outlet pipe 13, we provide for the following advantageous action.

It will be noted that the object of varying the length of the outletpassage by the adjustment of the pipe section 13, is to provide for the proper level at which only individual cups will float through and out, and this level is of course dependent on the weight of the specific cups and the force of the blast.

If larger and, therefore, heavier cups require the outlet passage to he lengthened in order to insure prior group-breaking under the increased air-blast necessary for the cups, such larger cups fed to the machine will need a more capacious entrance space at 6 around the tubular member 6 in the airthroatof the receptacle 3 and under said member. Therefore if said tubular member 6 be connected with the outlet pipe section 13, as for example, by the rods 11, it will follow that when the section13 is raised to lengthen the outlet passage, the tubular member 6 is also lifted, and, due to the taper shape of the receptacle throat, this movement increases the area of the space 6 and thespace under said member, thereby providing for the free feed and disposition of said larger nested packages.

In feeding the receptacle 3, provision must be made both for large charge capacity and for trapping the air.

To the feed opening 7 of the receptacle 3 is fitted a hopper 17. The floor of this hopper is a lower gate 18, which at one edge is carried on a'hinge pintle 19' and at its other edge is adapted to fit up snugly to its seat,

1 when the gate is in a horizontal position.

The cover ofthe hopper is an upper gate down over the hopper, like a lid. It is hinged at one edge on a pintle 21, car: ried by a bracket'22. At its other orfree edge it has a hand hold '23 to lift it.

The hinges of the two gates are, as seen, at opposite sides respectively.

' Upon one end of the'hinge pintle 19 of the lower gate is a crank arm 24: and from this arm extends a spring 25 to a lug 26 on the upper gate. Upon the opposite end of the hinge pintle 19. is a second crank arm 27, and from this crank arm extends a spring 28, to a'lug 29 on the top of the receptacle 3.

By having the two gates at the extremities of the hopper we are enabled to utilize its entire length for a charge of nestedpack ages, and thus. secure as large a'charge as is consistent with reasonable heightof When the upper gate is lifted, in order to place a charge in the hopper, the opening movementof said gate, closes the lower gate Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents" each, by addressing the means for adjustably supporting hopper.

18, by means ofthe spring 25 and crank arm 24, and by throwmg the spring over center,

the two gates will remain. in an open and closed position respectively. Thus the lower gate when closed traps the air and serves as a floor to receive the charge.

lVhen the hopper is filled,the upper gate is closed, and the movement by releasing the tension of the spring 25, allows the spring 28, through the crank arm 27 to pull the lOWer gate down to an'open position thus dumping the charge into the feed opening-7.

WVe claim: V e

1. A machine for the described purpose comprising a receptacle witha controllable feed'opening; means at one end ofthe re-' ceptacle for introducing a current of air; an

outlet pipe from the otherendof the recep tacle; and an openended tubular member d1sposed wholly within the air receivingend of'the receptacle in alinement. with the air of the receptacle; an

in alinement with the air openmg, said memher being spaced fromsaid opening and from the adjacent tapered walls of; the re-- ceptacle; and means for linearly adjusting said member. Y

.3. Amachine for the described purposecomprlsing a receptaclehavlngat one end tapering walls and provided at its other end with a controllable feed opening; means central of the tapered end of the receptacle for introducing a current of air; pipe from the other end of the receptacle; said outlet pipe for varying the effective length'thereof; an open-ended tubular member disposed wholly within the .air receiving end of the receptacle in alinement with the air opening, said member being spaced from said opening and from the adjacent tapered walls of the receptacle; and rods connecting and supjustable outlet-pipe. g r

In testimonyw'hereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN J. BAUM;

CLARENCE W. ODERlWAT'l-T Witnesses:

WM. F, BOOTH, D. B. RICHARDS.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

porting said tubular member from the ada an outlet 

